Portugal – Cape Verde Preview: Andre and Oliveira eager for international bows

Fernando Santos may take the opportunity to utilise the depth of his Portugal squad in Tuesday’s friendly against Cape Verde.

Fabio Coentrao’s 63rd-minute strike was enough to earn Portugal a 2-1 victory over Serbia in Lisbon on Sunday.

That result lifted Portugal to the top of Euro 2016 qualifying Group I, with nine points from their four matches.

Portugal will round off their international week by hosting Cape Verde in Estoril, and the likes of Sporting’s Paulo Oliveira and Vitoria Guimaraes’ Andre Andre are hoping to make their international bow.

“It’s a dream come true and it is a source of pride being here,” Oliveira said.

“Being here is a remarkable moment in my career.”

Andre echoed those sentiments, saying: “I’m very happy.

“It is time and it is up to me now to grab the opportunity. I want to take it and enjoy the experience.”

Pizzi is also looking to impress should he be given the opportunity to make a first Portugal appearance since August 2013.

“It is a great pleasure to return and is the result of my work at Benfica,” he said.

Santos, who took over as Portgual’s head coach in September. has seen his team win their past four matches and they sit 31 places above Cape Verde in the official Fifa Ranking.

However, Cape Verde have proved they are no pushovers and head coach Rui Aguas comes up against the country of his birth having seen the team lose just twice in their past 11 matches.

The match is Cape Verde’s first since they exited the Africa Cup of Nations at the group stages after drawing all three of their matches.

Profits from the game will go towards helping victims of a volcano eruption on the Cape Verdean island of Fogo. Aguas thanked the Portuguese Football Federation for the act of solidarity and is looking forward to Cape Verde testing themselves against a high-calibre opponent.

“For us it is a pleasure to do this game, not only for the solidarity that surrounds it, but also because we face a good opponent,” he said.

“It will be a good opportunity for many Cape Verdeans living in Portugal who have not had the chance to see the national team.”